I chose the name Luz Maternal intentionally. Luz Maternal translates to “maternal light.”

Originally Born and raised in Oregon (with the exception of some moving around), in June of 2025 I moved to Yakima, Washington, I quickly saw how large the Hispanic Indigenous and Spanish-speaking community is here. I recognized a deep need for accessible, culturally congruent parent support, I saw how behind Yakima, and Central Washington is compared to Portland, Oregon, (where I was serving families as a Birth Doula before.) I want to become the resource families can turn to when they need guidance, reassurance, and light.

Here’s a little background on me: To be honest, I only gained interest in birth work after my own birth experience. I went through my pregnancy meticulously studying and becoming best friends with Dr. Google—which, by the way, did not help. I still had a traumatic birth and postpartum experience. I thought I would be able to manage motherhood because that’s what family does and what society expects, with no complaints. But in reality, it was my son and I against the world.

I wish I had known I could get a birth doula with my insurance, or that doulas even existed. I yearned to have at least one educated person to call in the middle of the night—someone compassionate and experienced—when I was exhausted, overwhelmed, unsure why my newborn was making unfamiliar sounds, struggling with learning how to breastfeed, and questioning myself during the most sensitive, sacred times in a woman’s life.

That experience changed me.

The summer after my son was born, I started going to my local community college, majoring in Behavioral Health. On top of that, I began studying to become a Birth Doula in collaboration with Providence Hospital. Meanwhile I worked in early childhood education, doing home visits with at-risk families, while also attending births as a doula. attending conferences, trainings, I became a Certified Birth Doula in OR state, then a Certified Traditional Health worker (THW), and Community Health Worker (CHW). After moving to Yakima in 2025, I started working for WIC, then earned my Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) credential, and finally transferred my Birth Doula certification here to Washington State, and am officially accepting Apple Health for my full fee, pending private (carrot) insurances as needed.

I love to learn and grow. I regularly take continuing education courses and trainings, study childhood development, attend conferences, and explore Baby ASL to better support families and their little ones. This ongoing learning allows me to offer care that is current, informed, culturally congruent, and compassionate.

My mission is simple: to help families never feel alone during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum—especially those who have historically lacked access to support. I believe every parent deserves to feel heard, supported, and confident during the transformative journey into parenthood.

It would be an honor to support you and your family during this chapter.